Incumbent Mayor Majewski wins re-election in Hamtramck

Nov. 5, 2013

Karen Majewski

Written by

Detroit Free Press Staff Writer

Karen Majewski won another term as the city’s mayor Tuesday night, edging Councilman Abdul Algazali for the second consecutive election, this time by fewer votes.

According to unofficial numbers, Algazali was short 98 votes Tuesday night, with Majewski besting him 1,497 to 1,399. Algazali led Majewski in the Aug. 6 primary, 731-670, and would have been the first mayor who is not of Polish descent. He lost to Majewski, who became the city’s first female mayor in 2005, by 124 votes in the 2009 general election.

In the city’s council race, Abu Musa was elected to a two-year term while three others — Mohammed Hassan, Andrea Karpinski and Titus R. Walters — were elected to four-year terms.

Absentee ballots in the August election became cause for concern after three men, including a former Hamtramck City Council candidate, were accused of ballot tampering. The Hamtramck residents — 50-year-old Salim Ahmed, 33-year-old Armani Asad and 32-year-old Russell Mohammed — face various counts of improper possession of absentee ballots. Asad was eliminated from the City Council race in the August primary. Ahmed was a campaign worker.

There were 735 absentee ballots filed for the Aug. 6 election, about twice the number submitted during the 2012 presidential election.

Deputy City Clerk August Gitschlag told authorities that the men delivered the ballots to City Hall, in violation of state election law, which says those in possession of ballots must be the voter, a relative, mail carrier or authorized official. An investigation continues.

Over the last week, Majewski has used her campaign’s Facebook page to voice concern about possible improprieties, including mention of a Musa supporter helping people get absentee ballots.

“You have until 8 p.m. to vote tonight,” Majewski wrote to the 325 people who follow her campaign page on the social networking site. “Remember that there are people running for office in Hamtramck who do not live here. They do not pay their taxes on time. They do not pay their water bills. They see Hamtramck as a means to an end and are using this community — the community we worry about, work for, and pour our hearts into — for their own ambitions. It makes me angry.